Seven Plus One
by CSI1983
Summary: In the midst of writer's block, Brennan is certain that her week could not get worse. Then the bodies started showing up. Bodies that could not be explained away.....BB?
1. Chapter 1

Seven Plus One

Chapter One – What I've Done

"So when do I get to see it?"

"See what?"

"The outline for your new book. Am I in it again?"

"You weren't in it last time"

Booth sighed and ignored the need to be insulted as Bones continued typing on her computer. She was writing again and he was itching to know what this one was going to be about.

"Do you at least have a title?"

"My publisher sorts that out after it has been written. Why are you here?"

She finally tore her eyes from the screen and turned to face him. Even after all this time working together, he still got under her skin. He would arrive and stand, watching here and it was the most annoying thing that anyone could do.

"We have a case."

"Why didn't you tell me that when you first arrived rather then grill me on the book?"

"It's more fun to grill you. You in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No"

Bones sighed and took the coat off the back of her chair before following him out of the lab. She needed to finish writing but she knew better then anyone else that the dead don't wait for a good time to show up. She would be pulling an all-nighter if things didn't slow down a little.

It took almost two hours of driving and Booth's constant stream of questions before they were finally at their crime scene.

"Are you going to tell me what we have or am I going to go in blind?"

"We have a body. That's all I know"

They got out of the car and moved closer to the constant flow of people that came with a crime scene. You had those that were doing something productive then you had those that just destroyed the evidence to do nothing more then satisfy morbid curiosity.

"HEY!"

Bones pulled away from Booth and ducked under the tape, pushing the man out of the way.

"What the hell are you doing?"

The man held up his hand, the other left at his side, a camera weighing it down.

"I'm a reporter Miss. The people deserve to know what's going on"

Bones snarled at him and snatched the camera from his hand. She pulled open the back and unwound the film, watching the mans face fall.

"You have no right to do that!"

"Get out of my crime scene"

The man moved closer to her, his face angry.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Bones grabbed his wrist and turned it quickly, feeling deeply satisfied as she felt the bones begin to strain under her fingers.

"I'll snap your wrist. Get out of my crime scene"

She released him and watched as he all but ran away and out of sight. Booth finally arrived at her side, his face pulled into a smile.

"Well handled."

"Where the hell is the security here? He should not have been able to get into the scene."

"Crime scenes are never 100 reporter proof, you know that"

She huffed ear out through her nostrils and silently counted to one hundred. This done, she finally looked down at the body. Or to be more correct, the torso. There was no head, no arms and no legs.

"Dismembered, right?"

Bones leaned in closer gently touching one of the leg stumps with her latexed finger.

"Booth, it's been eaten. See the jagged tear marks?"

Booth leaned closer next to her and nodded slowly.

"Are you able to identify whoever this was?"

"We'll take the torso back to the lab and see what we can find before we clean off the bones. Did they find anything else?"

Booth glanced at his notes before nodding and gently lifting what remained of the victim's shirt with his pen. A large circle with the letter "E" covered the entirety of the stomach.

"That looks new. See how the edges of the tattoo are puckered? It was done just before they were put into the water."

"So murder then?"

"Maybe. Could be suicide. People do drown themselves"

Booth stood and shook his head.

"Nah, I can feel it in my gut. We have a murder."

"Excuse me if I don't trust your gut but I would rather wait for the lab results"

Booth said nothing, just stood back and watched as Bones, with the assistance from one of the EMT's called onto the scene, loaded the oceans left-over's into a body bag.

Two hours later, having collected all the evidence that they could from the torso, the remains were lowered into a tank and the flesh eating beetles began to feast. Booth stayed well away from that room, he hated the sounds that the beetles made. He also had a fear of that ridiculously thin looking tank breaking.

"So what do we know Bones?"

"We know that our victim is male and that he had been out to see for quite a while."

"How do you know that?"

"Hodgins found fish eggs in his limb stumps and the shape of what was left of the pelvic bone gave us the rest."

"Is that all you have?"

Bones sighed.

"Booth, we don't have a skull or anything. We don't even know cause of death and we may never know. Unless you plan to go fishing and find the animals that ate his limbs, this is where the case ends."

"You're giving up awful easy"

"No, I'm stating the facts"

Booth sat back and looked at her. Bones ignored his gaze, even though she could feel it at the back of her skull.

"Unless you're going to read my thoughts, can you please stop trying to look into my thoughts?"

"I'm just a little confused it all"

"By what?"

"Your eagerness to give up on this case."

"I'm not giving up I'm just being honest."

"Well stop it, you're scaring me"

Bones rolled her eyes and resumed writing her very short notes that she had gotten so far on this case. There was nothing else to do. Perhaps the bones would show something but until the bugs had stopped their cleaning, it was just all a matter of guess work. Notes done, Bones put her pen down and started walking back to her office.

"Where you going Bones?"

"To write. Unless there is another reason that you have to interrupt my day"

Booth watched her go, confused by this new person in front of him. Bones, the one person that he could rely on to pull him into a case was ready to jump ship the moment that things got hard.

"Hey Ange"

Angela paused.

"Yeah?"

"What's up with Bones?"

Angela shrugged.

"I don't know. She's been on edge all week. I know that her publishers have been putting the pressure on for another book but she's run out of ideas."

"She looked busy when I walked in on her."

"She was completely stuck this morning and it was only the second chapter. She's got writers block I think"

"Can a woman with a brain that size get a block?"

"I'm actually surprised that it hasn't happened before. She's churned out her books in quick succession and I think she's starting to feel the burn."

Booth nodded and turned his attention back to the torso. He wasn't ready to give up quite yet. Something about this just didn't fit and he smelt a rat. He didn't know what it was but he got a feeling that this was not the end of whatever this was.

Booth knew that he would find her here. Where else would she be? He slipped into the office as quietly as he could so that he wouldn't disturb her. She had fallen asleep, using her arm as a pillow, her laptop still open, the page blank.

"Bones"

She sighed before lifting her head slightly.

"What do you want?"

"Why are you here? You should be at home"

"Writing"

She removed her head completely from her arms and sat up straight, her fingers finding the keyboard but not moving.

"I can't think of anything to write Booth"

"So don't"

"I don't have a choice. My publishers-"

"Screw them. You've made them plenty of money and they are hardly going to dump you just because you decide to take a break."

"What kind of break do you have in mind?"

"I can order some Wong Fu's if you like"

"Thanks Booth"

Booth nodded and pulled out his phone, placing a huge order of food. He knew that when Bones ate, she tended to graze and pick rather then eat in one sitting. He left the lab and waited out the front for Sid to show up with the order.

"Booth, why aren't you eating at the restaurant?"

"Hey Sid. Bones is working on a new novel and she's got a bit of writers block and she needs to refuel."

"Fair enough. I threw in a few extras in there for you guys, oh and this too"

Sid pushed a bottle of red wine in Booth's hand, a sly smile on his face.

"It's the inept beauty's favourite."

"Sid, I've told you before-"

Sid held his hands up and shook his head.

"I know, I know. Have a good meal and call me if you need anything else"

Booth watched him drive off before heading back into the lab again. Bones had not moved from her space in front of the computer and Booth set down the food with a sigh.

"Bones, give yourself a break. Sid gave me a bottle of your favourite wine."

"I don't think I should take a break."

"Staring at the screen will not get anything written. You need to relax, eat and help me drink this bottle of wine."

Bones groaned and moved from her seat to the one across from Booth, watching him as he laid the food out on the table.

"What am I going to do Booth? I have nothing"

"You need to relax. A brain like yours does not stay blocked for very long."

"I goggled writers block and there was a story there about a writer who didn't write for seven years! She had nothing for seven years!"

"So don't break a mirror then"

Bones frowned.

"Funny."

Booth pushed the container of noodles towards her, relaxing only when she started eating. He found some plastic cups and poured two cups of wine. Bones downed hers in one quick swallow and Booth filled it back up wordlessly. They remained silent as they ate and in Bones case, drunk. By the time the food was done, she was a little drunk and had curled up on the sofa, her eyes closed.

"Do you want me to drive you home Bones?"

"No, I'll just stay here."

Booth pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and laid it on top of her, pulling it up so that it covered her completely. He tidied up their mess and put the cap back on the wine. By the time he was done, she was fast asleep, her face buried in the blanket. Booth smiled as he went about switching off all the lights and in a final act of kindness, closed her laptop, settling the room in a heavy darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N - I only have one thing to say. It's never what it seems to be. Thanks Charlie for suggesting the seven reference._

Chapter Two – A Full Scale Attack

When he got back to the lab, she was sitting in front of her laptop again, except this time, she was typing.

"Writer's block gone?"

"Not for reports unfortunately. I'm just adding what we know about the torso."

"So the beetles have finished have they?"

"Early this morning as a matter of fact."

Booth took a seat across from her.

"So what's new with our victim?"

"We think he was tortured before he was killed."

"How can you tell?"

"I'll show you"

Bones stood and moved out of the lab and Booth followed her to where the torso was now laid out, flesh free on one of the examination tables.

"Ok do you see the cracks in the ribs?"

Booth leaned closer, the smell of death still lingering on the bones.

"Yeah I can. Could that be from the fish?"

"No. They've heeled slightly before this man died. There is also so damage to his spine. If it were the fish, they would be broken, not cracked."

"So he was tortured and then drowned?"

"It's possible."

:"But we still don't have enough to keep going with the case, do we?"

"No we don't."

Booth called his boss and gave him the news. It would be yet another open case file on his desk. For the moment anyway.

* * *

_People should suffer for their sins, that much he was certain of. However, choosing the victim and then making sure that he timed the sacrifice perfectly was another thing entirely. If his timing was off, then so was his system and then his while life would fall off the alter he had created himself on. The moon dominated when they died. Once a month he would kill and once a month he became someone else. This new person liked to kill in ways that remained with the old system, handed down through the centuries. Punishments that were now days considered torture were what he preferred and what he enjoyed. They need to know what they had done and that they were doing to die. That done, he would brand them forever with the letter of their sin and then kill them, dumping the body where he pleased. Fourteen years and on one said anything, no one knew anything and he liked it that way. It reminded him that he could do anything and he would do anything. The moon allowed him that in her heavenly light._

* * *

Three weeks later, Booth got a phone call from his boss. They had a body. This one was found by hitchhikers that had been tramping. Booth was almost too scared to tell Bones. She had made it almost a month without writing anything beyond reports for the lab. It was starting to make her a little crazy and now he appreciated her when she had been writing so much more. She had been happy, steady and better still, productive. Now she just did the work that was required before heading back to her office and the blank screen of her laptop. She was like a ghost, haunting those with the life that she no longer had. When he finally did work up the courage to approach her office, she was in front of the laptop only she was doing something different now. She was reading the 'Dummies Guide To Working Through Writers Block'. Never in his life had he seen something so funny and yet so desperately sad.

"We've got a body Bones."

"Hmmm?"

Booth moved forward and extracted the book from her hands.

"We have a case."

"They suggest free writing. Just sit at the computer and write whatever comes to your head for an hour then go back and read it. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I think putting your writing out of the way for a while is. We have work to do. You know, the kind that you love?"

Bones sighed and took her coat before following Booth out the lab. Free writing would have to wait.

* * *

Booth was actually horrified with what he saw. He was always the last to know the particulars of a case and this was no exception. They could have mentioned just how deep in the bush they would have to go. Or the fact that the victim was a young woman crucified, her hands and feet nailed into the bark of a tree.

"Jesus."

"Almost poetic, isn't it? You say Jesus and this is similar to the way that he died."

"He was a savior. She's not."

"We could wait three days and find out"

Booth frowned at her but she ignored it, slipping on her gloves and getting to work examining the body. She had been there a while, that much was even obvious to Booth. Her skin was starting to shrink and her face was hollow, her eyes gone. The nails that had pierced her feet and hands had made neat little tunnels for flies to lay eggs. Those eggs had become maggots which slowly made their way through her entire body. She had become a victim far to young and far too violently. On a hunch, Booth lifted what was left of her white singlet, revealing a large circular tattoo.

"Bones"

She lifted her head and took in the tattoo.

"We have a serial, don't we?"

"Depends what you define as serial"

"More then one body with the same M.O"

"So our first torso was a murder."

"Looks that way"

* * *

This body was more work then the first. While Booth searched for an I.D working with Angela, Bones set about examining how exactly she died. When he got back two hours later, she was still working at it.

"How do you actually kill someone like this?"

"She suffocated"

"Huh?"

Bones put her notes aside and turned to face him.

"Crucifixion on a single pole with no transom, with hands affixed over one's head, would precipitate rapid asphyxiation if no block was provided to stand on, or once the legs were broken."

"She had her feet nailed to the tree."

"Which is just as bad. She had no way to move to try and breathe"

"How long before she died?"

"One – five minutes. Did you manage to get an I.D?"

Booth nodded and handed her the picture.

"Anna Jenkins. Twenty-four, she went missing three and a half weeks ago"

"What did she do?"

"She was a prostitute."

Bones nodded and pointed to the tattoo. It was the same size as the last except this one had a large "L" in the center.

"We don't know what this is meant to mean."

Angela, who had caught the tail end of the conversation, smiled at them.

"It stands for lust people"

Bones turned to her, a frown on her face.

"What?"

"People were killed for their sins. You know honey, the seven deadly sins. People were punished in ways that were not considered very friendly."

"What about the first torso? The one with the letter "E"?

"Envy. Someone is trying to tell us something."

"How the hell do you know that?"

Angela gave Bones a soft smile.

"Honey, this guy, whoever he is, is ripping off _Seven_"

Everyone else let out a soft round of oh's but Bones continued to frown.

"I don't know what that means"

"Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow. It's a movie sweetie. One that you really need to see"

"So he's copying a movie?"

"Sort of. New ways and new time frames but it's still the same concept."

Booth nodded and started pacing.

"So he kills them for their sins. Anna was a prostitute and that poor bloke over there had something to do with envy. The question is, why is he killing them this way? More importantly, what is his time frame."

Bones shook her head.

"We already know that part. She was missing for three weeks and she's been dead for at least that long. That would put her time of death around the cycle of the full moon."

"So he's going by lunar cycles? Why?"

"Perhaps the moon represents something to him. Witches praise it, as do many other religions. It means rebirth and cleansing. He's trying to make them pure by killing them by the moon"

"Hell of a way to do it"

"No one ever said that mad men had a sane reason for doing things. They just think that it's sane"

* * *

She was late. Beyond late. She had gone from making a dramatic entrance to making a hurried apology. Even though she had only talked to the guy online, she had known him longer then that. She had gone to high school with him and with a very hazy picture in her head, had started chatting to him. He had turned out well enough, making his millions writing books on ancient British history but he hadn't attached a photo to his profile. To Angela, this meant that there was either something seriously wrong with him or that he was shy. Either way, she was eager to find out what he looked like. From what she could remember, he had been a spunk in high school. She finally arrived at the restaurant and frantically looked for someone that resembled the guy in her memory. Turned out that she still looked the same because he spotted her first and waved.

"Hello Angela, you look very nice"

"Nice to see that I haven't changed."

"You have but your smile hasn't."

Paul Everett had that hunky nerd thing going for him. He had a full head of light brown hair, smooth, even features and the same slightly crooked smile that she remembered. He had bulked out since school and she could see the flat stomach hidden by his shirt.

"You're looking good Paul. I'm so sorry I'm late, work was crazy"

"That's fine. Did you want a drink?"

Angela nodded and Paul ordered them each a glass of wine before turning back to her.

"So, am I allowed to know why work got crazy?"

"We've got another case, that's all. I don't want to talk about it, I just want to enjoy the rest of the evening"

"Your wish is my command. So, what should we talk about?"

"How about you tell me more about where you've traveled over the years."

"I think that more appropriate statement would be where haven't I traveled. I've had my passport redone twice now. All completely full of stamps, chasing history and stories I hear."

"wow, that's impressive. How do you finance it?"

"Usually my publisher does it. She arranges the entire thing."

"Maybe I should get my friend to do that. She's a writer"

"Really? Have I heard of her?"

"Temperance Brennan"

"I've read some of her stuff, it's pretty good. So tell me about the other people you work with"

Angela leaned in and started talking. They spent the rest of the evening this way, throwing comments back and forth about people they had each known of the years. The evening went well. Angela headed home a few hours later, her stomach full of good food and her head full of good wine. Even though the case had hit a bit of a bump, at least she had gotten a good night in before the case started speeding up again.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N - Just to reassure you all, I'm not compltely dissing Brad Pitt. I just don't think that Bones is the kind of person who would like him. I personally don't like him myself but I do love Morgan Freeman. He's far more interesting. So don't flame me if you love Brad Pitt. Each to his own._

Chapter Three – The Danger Of Standing Still

This was purely homework. That's what she kept telling herself but she didn't know how much she believed it herself. After all, what the hell did watching a movie have to do with this investigation? She potted around her apartment, straightening things up before Booth arrived. She had made a simple dinner for them, had chilled a bottle of wine and cleaned a little, something that she hadn't done in a while. Her life as of late had been nothing more then takeaways and the annoyingly blank pages of her computer. She could not move beyond it. It was like an itch she was completely unable to scratch. Even when there was a case, the fact that she was unable to write was there at the back of her mind, making entrances now and then to remind her that she was failing. Temperance Brennan hated to fail. There was nothing in her life, nothing important anyway, that she had failed at. She excelled at everything that she dabbled in and like everything else, writing seemed to come to her naturally. Writers blocked ignored that rule and made her frustrated beyond belief. Perhaps a movie night was the very thing that she needed. After all, it was homework and she fully intended to take notes. She settled herself in the living room and waited, staring at the blank screen of the television, which was a birthday present from Booth and Angela a little while ago. It would have annoyed her had she not known just how much thought went into the gift. She had many things and required even less but even she had to admit that watching television was interesting. She watched the shows that Angela suggested, found them tedious and lacking imagination so kept to the ones that Booth loved so much. They seemed more her forte then some of the shows that Angela watched. She was just starting to get bored when her doorbell rang. She pulled open the door to find Booth on the other side, a DVD player under one arm and a bottle of red wine in the other.

"I've already got wine Booth"

"This movie requires red, believe me. Good evening to you too Bones"

"Sorry. Come in."

Booth slid past her and carefully put the player on the table, tilting his head slightly.

"You cooked?"

"Lasagna."

"Smells great."

"Why don't you set up the DVD player and I'll serve dinner"

"Ok. But I do suggest we eat before we watch the movie"

"Why?"

"It's a little gruesome"

"Why would that bother me? Or you for that matter. We see it everyday"

"Hollywood does it differently and takes creative license. Believe me when I say that you should eat before watching the film"

"Ok, I'll believe you"

Booth disappeared into the living room and Bones moved into the kitchen, sorting out plates and utensils before setting the table for dinner. By the time she was done, so was he. He found glasses and poured them each a white wine, leaving the red for later.

"So have you sorted out the writers block yet?"

"No. I hate feeling so out of control"

"You need to relax. Stressing out is not going to help"

"Maybe it will jump start some ideas"

"Or shut them off completely."

"That's scary"

Booth nodded before he smiled brightly.

"You may have writer's block but take comfort in the fact you make a damn good lasagna."

Bones smiled back and took a sip of her wine. It was nice to know that he wasn't going to mock her for this situation. For some reason his support always surprised her. She thought that maybe it came from the moments when they were first thrown together they argued about everything. She was used to taking the defensive. Now there was no reason for it. If he teased her, he never meant for her to take it seriously. He also acted almost graceful when she tried to tease him and more often then not, insulted him. Dinner finished and Booth moved quickly to beat her to the cleaning up.

"It's ok Booth, I can do it later."

"I don't mind doing it now. One less thing for you to worry about"

"Thank you"

"You cooked me dinner, this is the least I can do"

Bones offered him a smile before moving to settle herself in the living room. She kicked her shoes off and pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and over her lap, waiting for Booth. After ten minutes he joined her on the sofa and he started the movie. Within half an hour, she was glad that he was there. She wasn't a fan of scary movies, found the over dramatic deaths a little too much to handle. This movie was the same. She had to continually resist the urge to put her face in his shoulder and tell him to switch off the DVD. She had to watch this. If their killer was using this as inspiration, then she had to study it as closely as she could. Turns out that was harder said then done. Her notepad and pen lay forgotten on the small coffee table as she tried to watch the movie and how the story unfolded. Temperance prided herself on her bravery. She could face the most violent killers, beat up gang members and take on men twice her size, so how the hell does a simple horror movie reduce her to a girly mess? At some point during the film, she grabbed Booth's hand and gripped on for dear life. She remained that way until it was finally finished.

"God Bones, you're making my hand blue"

She quickly shook her hand free and placed it on her lap.

"I didn't like that movie"

"Really? I thought you would love it. Considering what we see on a daily basis, it should be like a little holiday"

"That was a crappy holiday. I don't like horror movies, they are too violent for me"

"Yet you can see a dismembered corpse and not find that disturbing?"

"That's different. That's real. These movies take every single fear that a person could have and play with it. Like when that girl's head is in a box at the end – "

"Gwyneth Paltrow"

"Whatever. Why didn't they examine the cut wound? They missed so many things"

"Yet you still found it scary"

"Yes. Don't mock me."

"I'm not mocking you. I just find it funny that someone of your intelligence is lured into the movie the same way a normal person is"

"I'm normal."

"Bones, if you're normal then the rest of us are completely screwed."

"I liked the African-American man though"

"You mean Morgan Freeman"

"Yes. I didn't like the other guy, he was acting was terrible"

"You mean Brad Pitt?"

"Yes."

"See, you aren't normal"

"Why?"

"Most woman love Brad Pitt"

"But he was boring. What's the attraction?"

Booth sighed and gave her a half smile.

"See Bones, this is why I like you so much. Brad Pitt is boring to you. It gives the rest of us boring guys a chance."

"I don't know what that means."

Booth shook his head and showed her the other movie that he had placed on the table.

"Fancy another one?"

"Not another murder one I hope"

"Nah, this one is Parker's favourite. He loves this movie"

"What is it?"

"Jumanji"

"What's it about?"

"A magic board game."

"Well, that's just not logical. How can something like a piece of cardboard be magical?"

"Do you want to watch it or not Bones?"

"Ok"

Booth exchanged the DVD's and settled himself back on the sofa. He started watching her reaction to the movie from the start and could see the frown forming, watching as it got harder and harder.

"Why are you frowning Bones?"

"I'm confused. Why didn't that Sarah girl stay and roll the dice again? She could have saved the little boy"

"She was scared Bones"

"So?"

Booth resisted the urge to laugh and settled himself back into his seat to enjoy the rest of the movie. He often found himself at a loss for words when faced with Bones and her intelligence. He was amazed that so much of it was stored in a normal looking skull. But then again, he could allow his imagination carry him away like a kid when it came to movies like this. Bones and her logical mind found the leap difficult. Bones, much to his relief, started to relax and enjoy the movie. She laughed every time the cop car got a little more damaged, when the monkeys flew past on the motorbike and every time Van Pelt came onto the screen. Most kids found that guy scary, Bones found him highly amusing. Typical.

* * *

_He selected his next victim carefully. He always did. He would look for one and he always made sure that within 48 hours of searching, he always found one that would work. This one would fit sloth to a tee. He was unemployed, though from what he could see, there was no reason why. In the two days that he spied in the man, he had lifted heavy objects and cut some wood. To most, this would not mean sloth, but to the man, he was the perfect victim. He would go inside and eat junk food and when his girlfriend came home at night, he would demand that she make him dinner after she had worked all day. That pissed him off. From what little he had seen, the death of this man would benefit all of society. Now he just had to find a perfect way to kill him. Even though his death modes were limited, he liked to put his on little bit of creativity in there. It made things far more interesting. And kept the cops on their toes. The last person that he had killed, the whore, he had enjoyed nailing her to that tree, watching as she tried to breathe. She had only managed to survive a few seconds longer then he thought that she would. He was trying to figure out another way to kill her but then she finally stopped breathing and he could relax. Seven deadly sins but he killed for them over and over again. So many years had gone by the he could barely remember why he had started. It had all started with a woman. His mother to be more precise then his father started as well. The abuse, the screaming and the punishments for the sins that he committed. His own parents had set him on this path. They had trained him from childhood and here he was today still obeying them. He had always been one to obey. He had never had a choice. _


End file.
